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Guide:Invasions
Invasions are the act of taking over a region. In an era where intergalactic travel is possible, most commonly this refers to the invasion of the planet. Below is a step by step guide on how to take over other planets. Step 1: Define the goal What is the goal of the invasion? If it is to gather resources, consider other alternatives first. Colonizing a barren world devoid of life is far easier than trying to take them from a pre-space faring civilization. Mars has just as much valuable minerals as Earth. The only reason to invade an inhabited world is for any of the following: *Extermination of the species for religious or political reasons. *If the natives themselves can be exploited for labor or other uses. *The presence of a resource unique to the planet. *The exhaustion of all other alternatives within a feasible range. *Cutting off supply lines during a war. *Pressuring an enemy into giving in to demands or claims. Step 2: Preparation Next, one must check the environmental conditions of the planet. If the planet has a substance that is toxic to your species, be sure they wear pressure suits and other protective gear. It would also be wise to take proper soil samples and study the local flora and fauna months in advance to determine if the planet is suitable for colonization afterwards. Next, assess the technology levels of the civilization. Take into account of the local species' history. Specifically, look for myths and legends or any particularly advanced technology they might have that can be exploited during the invasion. Take extreme precaution if the natives have discovered one of your species' technology. Assume they have reverse-engineered it. Step 3: Tactics Never approach with direct brute force. In fact, if your species is not concerned about the planet's biosphere, it may be easier to perform an orbital bombardment. However, if that is not your goal, some manipulation of the locals is required, such as convincing them to attack other settlements. Violence may not even required at all, and your species could just convert them over peacefully. With pre-space civilizations, it is best to avoid a direct confrontation as much as possible in order to conserve resources that could be used elsewhere. When attacking a space faring empire, this of course, is not the case. Be prepared to fight in a space battle before being able to land on the planet. Be warned that with the lack of proper cover (save for maybe a ring system or a few asteroids) warships in space are sitting ducks. Also, beware of anti-orbital guns on the planet's surface or orbital defense stations. Often, this is the reason why orbital bombardments are not 100% successful. If your species' military is capable of handling guerilla warfare, get to the ground as soon as possible and secure the settlement directly. Infantry is very precise, and can take down facilities, anti-aircraft towers, and other structures. They can also prevent the locals from restocking their supplies to send more warships into space. Considerations *Width of front - Should you have too many troops clumped together in a small area they become extremely difficult to move and supply effectively *Attrition - Local environment and resistance can do a lot of damage to your rear guard and supply lines *Infrastructure - Even if your enemy is not conducting scorched earth (process of destroying everything behind you that could be used by an enemy), roads, airfields, homes, and ports are bound to be damaged. Step 4: The Long Term Sometimes, invasions are actually part of a war rather than the conquest of a single planet. In galactic-scale wars, rather than destroying all opposing forces, one of the easiest ways to win is to cut off supply lines. Typical battlegrounds will often include mining stations, military bases and communications outpost. By destroying as many of these as possible, it will only be a matter of time before the opposing force simply runs out of resources and can no longer sustain a fight. See also *Space warfare Category:Guides